A review by madmantha
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It was really interesting rereading this in 2022; many things still feel relevant today, if not more so in some cases. 

The love triangle still feels a bit forced; I’d love for them to take it in a queer or poly direction in the new series adaption. 
I got heavy “gal pals” energy between Tally and Shay in this reading; which isn’t something I remember noticing or feeling when I read this years ago. 

This is still one of my favorite books and I’m very much looking forward to continuing to share the series with my partner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent and Alcohol

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism